Spaghetti With Sweet Corn Pesto

  

Spaghetti With Sweet Corn Pesto 

If you’re looking for a fresh summer pasta recipe, this Spaghetti with Sweet Corn Pesto is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Juicy cherry tomatoes, fragrant basil, and a creamy corn pesto sauce come together for a dish that’s light, vibrant, and perfect for warm-weather dining.

Unlike traditional basil pesto, this version uses sweet corn kernels blended with garlic, Parmesan, and olive oil for a naturally sweet and savory sauce that pairs beautifully with pasta.

Try serving this dish with a simple green salad or alongside garlic bread for the perfect Italian-inspired summer meal.

Ingredients for Corn Pesto Pasta

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups fresh corn kernels (from 5 to 7 ears of corn)
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound spaghetti
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn, divided
Grated lemon zest, for serving (optional)

Directions: 

Toast the Breadcrumbs: In a large 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add panko, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toast until golden brown (3–5 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and let cool. 

Cook the Corn and Garlic: Wipe out the skillet. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add corn, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until the corn is tender and garlic softens (4–6 minutes). Let cool slightly.

Make the Sweet Corn Pesto : Reserve 1/2 cup of the corn kernels. Add remaining corn and garlic to a food processor with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Blend until coarse. With the machine running, stream in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil until smooth. Add Parmesan and pulse to combine.

Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook spaghetti until just al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.

Combine Everything: Return the corn pesto to the pasta pot with 1/2 cup pasta water. Stir over medium-low heat until creamy. Add pasta, cherry tomatoes, reserved corn, and half the basil. Toss well, adding more pasta water if needed.

Serve & Garnish: Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with remaining basil, lemon zest, and half the breadcrumbs. Pass extra breadcrumbs at the table.  Serves 4 to 6

Make Ahead:
The spicy bread crumbs will keep for several days in a sealed container, and you can make the corn pesto a few hours in advance. 

You may just need to add additional pasta water when reheating the sauce. 

Recipe Tips & VariationsCheese Swap: Try Pecorino Romano for a sharper flavor.

Extra Protein: Add grilled shrimp or shredded rotisserie chicken.

Vegan Option: Use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan.

Meal Prep: Make the corn pesto up to 3 hours ahead and refrigerate.

Caramelized Red Pepper Spaghetti

 Caramelized Red Pepper Pasta

Cooking the peppers low and slow intensifies their flavor and inherent natural sweetness to very special effect.  

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons pine nuts

3 tablespoons extra virgin live oil

2 red bell peppers, deseeded and thinly sliced

5 1/4 oz. spaghetti

lg. pan of salted boiling water salted

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Pinch chili flakes

1/4 cup picked basil leaves, more for garnish or to serve

4 tablespoons grated cheese

Directions:

Toast the pine nuts in a non-stick skillet of a medium heat 4-5 minutes.  shaking regularly until golden.  Set aside on a small plate.  Heat the oil in the same skillet over a medium-low heat and add the sliced peppers,  then lower the heat and fry gently for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring regularly until very soft.  When the peppers have about 5 minutes to go, cook the spaghetti in a large pan of salted water for 10 minutes.

NOTE:  Never add salt to cold water but wait for it to come to a boil.  It will pit your pan.

Add to the skillet the sliced garlic, chili flakes and basil to the peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes until the garlic is golden.  Transfer the cooked spaghetti to the red pepper pan along with a little of the cooking water if needed.  Add the toasted pine nuts and grated cheese, tossing together.  Divide between 2 bowls and top with freshly ground black pepper and extra basil to serve. 

 

 

Spaghetti Carbonara

Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients:
8 ounces spaghetti
2 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
4 slices bacon, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; reserve 1/2 cup water and drain well.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and Parmesan; set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes; reserve excess fat.

Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low.

Working quickly, stir in pasta and egg mixture, and gently toss to combine; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

 

Creamy Pasta with Crisp Wild Mushrooms

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. mixed mushrooms (such as maitake, oyster, crimini, and/or shiitake), torn into bite-size pieces
Kosher salt
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 lb. spaghetti or bucatini
1/2 cup heavy cream
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over medium-high.
Cook half of mushrooms in a single layer, undisturbed, until edges are brown and starting to crisp, about 3 minutes. 

Give mushrooms a toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until all sides are brown and crisp, about 5 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a plate; season with salt. 

Repeat with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil and mushrooms and more salt.

Reduce heat to medium-low and return all of the mushrooms to the pot. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until shallots are translucent and softened, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions.

Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with mushrooms and add cream and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and liquid is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

Remove pot from heat. Add lemon zest and juice, parsley, butter, 1/2 oz. Parmesan, and lots of pepper and toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Divide pasta among bowls and top with more Parmesan.  Serves 4

Veal Cutlet Milanese

This recipe is written for two servings.  For those of us living alone, scaling down recipes to prevent eating leftovers for days are a constant project.

Veal Milanese

3/4 pound veal cutlets, about 1/2-inch thick
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg white, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon capers
1 lemon cut into wedges

Directions:

Thin cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be used instead of veal. They should be about 1/2-inch thick.  The terms cutlets and scallops are both used when describing a cut of veal. In both cases they refer to a thin cut that can be cooked quickly.

Pound veal flat to about 1/2 inch. Mix breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese together and add salt and pepper to taste. Dip veal cutlets in egg white and then in a breadcrumb mixture, making sure both sides are coated. Heat in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the cutlets. Cook 1 1/2 minutes and turn and cook second side 1 1/2 minutes. Divide between 2 dinner plates and squeeze juice from lemon wedges on top. Sprinkle with capers and salt and pepper to taste.

Spaghetti Pomodoro 
1/4 pound whole wheat spaghettini
1 cup canned, drained, low-sodium diced tomatoes*
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook 9-10 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain and toss with diced tomatoes and fresh basil (optional). Add salt and pepper to taste.

Shopping List: 3/4 pound veal cutlets, about 1/2-inch thick, 1 small piece Parmesan cheese, 1 container plain breadcrumbs, 1 bottle capers, 1 package whole wheat spaghettini, 1 small can low-sodium diced tomatoes*, 1 lemon, 1 bunch basil (optional)

Makes 2 servings.

Pasta Carbonara

Authentic Pasta Carbonara

Prep time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Time to Make It

20 mins

Authentic Pasta Carbonara is easy to make, full of bacon flavor, and smothered in a cheesy egg sauce that will make you crave more.

Author: Rachel Farnsworth

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 pound spaghetti pasta
1 tablespoon salt
1 pound thick cut bacon or pancetta, diced
4 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
1½ cups grated pecorino romano cheese, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, to garnish

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Cook pasta according to package directions. 

Reserve 1½ cups of the pasta water before draining.
In a large saucepan, cook bacon (or pancetta) over medium heat until crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes. 

Drain fat from bacon, reserving just 2 tablespoons of the grease.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, eggs, and 1 cup pecorino romano cheese.

Toss drained pasta with cooked bacon, and 2 tablespoons of bacon grease. Pour egg mixture in, along with reserved pasta water and toss together with pasta 2 minutes.

Serve hot topped with remaining cheese, freshly ground pepper, and parsley to garnish.

Thin Spaghetti With Crab And Asparagus

Thin Spaghetti With Crab And Asparagus

Ingredients:
1 lb. thin spaghetti

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 stick unsalted butter

2 basil sprigs plus leaves for garnish

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan plus more for serving

Kosher salt and pepper

1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat

Directions:

In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until almost al dente, 5 to 7 minutes.  Add the asparagus and cook until the pasta is al dente and the asparagus is crisp tender, about 2 minutes longer.  Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain well.

Meanwhile in a very large skillet, melt the butter with the basil sprigs over moderate heat.  Add the pasta and asparagus, the 1/4 cup cheese and 1/2 cup of the cooking water.  Cook over moderate heat tossing, until the pasta is coated in a light sauce, about 3 to 5 minutes, adding more of the cooking water if needed.  Season the pasta generously with salt and pepper.  Gently fold in the crab and cook until hot, 1 to 2 minutes.  Discard the basil sprigs and garnish with basil leaves and serve, passing more cheese at the table.

  

Spaghetti With Clam Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 quarts littleneck clams
• White wine
• 4 to 5 large cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 pound spaghetti
• ¾ cup chopped parsley

Method

Scrub the clams well and wash them in cold water to remove the sand from the shells. Put them in a heavy saucepan with ½ inch of white wine and the garlic. Cover the pan tightly and steam the clams until the shells open, 5 to 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, then drain. Put the freshly cooked spaghetti in a warm bowl. Pour the clams, still in their shells, and broth over it and sprinkle parsley on the top.

Yield

4 to 6 servings

Roasted Asparagus Mushroom Carbonara

ROASTED ASPARAGUS 

MUSHROOM CARBONARA

Serves 6 to 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

1-½ pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound dry spaghetti
4 large eggs
8 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Parmesan, grated
Freshly cracked black pepper
Sea salt, to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).

Place the asparagus and mushrooms on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss gently to evenly coat.

Roast the vegetables in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables start to caramelize, stirring halfway.

While the vegetables are roasting, bring 6 quarts of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, stir, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid before draining the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, add the bacon to a large sauté pan and cook over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden and crispy, and most of the fat has rendered off. Turn off the heat and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmesan and a generous amount of the fresh cracked pepper until well-combined.

Return the sauté pan to medium heat. Add the garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add ¼ cup of the reserved cooking liquid to the sauté pan. Toss in the spaghetti and heat for a few minutes until the bubbling has subsided and much of the water has evaporated.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg mixture to the pasta while quickly stirring. Continue stirring until the egg mixture has thickened, adding additional cooking liquid if the sauce is too thick.

Season with black pepper and sea salt to taste. Gently toss the spaghetti with the roasted asparagus and mushrooms, and serve immediately. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Note:

Stirring while mixing the eggs and pasta is very important!  If the pasta and eggs are not mixed quickly enough, the eggs will scramble and the sauce will not be creamy.

California Spaghetti Salad

California Pasta Salad

Prep time: 15 minutes

A delicious spaghetti salad filled with fresh summer veggies and olives. Topped with a zesty italian dressing and parmesan cheese, this will be the hit of your next gathering!

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

1 pound thin spaghetti, broken into 1 inch pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
2 medium zucchini, diced
1 large cucumber, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large red onion, diced
2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained

Dressing:
1 bottle (16 ounces) Italian salad dressing
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water. Add cherry tomatoes, zucchini, cucumber, green and red bell pepper, red onion and olives in a large bowl.

To make the dressing: Whisk together italian salad dressing, parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, paprika, celery seed, and garlic powder. Pour over salad and toss until coated. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

Spaghetti With Summer Squash and Tomatoes ..... Enjoy your bounty of fresh vegetables.

Spaghetti With Summer Squash and Tomatoes

Eat healthy and enjoy the fresh vegetables with too short of season.

Ingredients:

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 Summer squash, thinly sliced

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly Ground pepper

1 pound spaghetti

Handful of arugula leaves

3/4 cup freshly ground Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving at the table

***

Directions:

Bring a 6 quart pot of water to a boil for spaghetti. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and oregano in a bowl. Add oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss. Place mixture on a baking sheet and roast 10 to 12 minutes, until squash is caramelized. Scape into a large bowl; cover to keep warm. Cook pasta 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente (still a bit firm). Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water and stir it into bowl of vegetables. Add pasta water and stir it into bowl of vegetables. Add pasta, arugula (salad green with a slightly peppery taste), cheese and more pepper to bowl; toss and serve. 20 minutes and serves 4

Spaghetti Carbonara ... This tasty pasta dish was first prepared for us by our oldest daughter's husband who was born and raised in Milan Italy.

The first time I had this dish I was amazed that spaghetti was prepared without a tomato sauce. Since then I have learned that very little pasta is prepared with a tomato sauce in Italy. My very favorite pasta is Pasta Troife which is made with a troife pasta, potatoes, green beans, and then dressed with a pesto sauce made with olive oil, pine nuts, salt, and basil leaves. Our children have taught me sooo much.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, loosely packed

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 pound thin cut diced bacon or pancetta

2 cloves garlic

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine or 1/2 cup water from pasta

1 Tablespoon salt

1 pound spaghetti

2 eggs

3 oz. Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Beat eggs lightly, add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese to eggs, beat lightly to mix. Finely chop parsley and add to eggs. Add pepper and beat to mix. Side aside.

Dice bacon or pancetta. Fry bacon or pancetta in frying pan until almost crisp. Remove bacon or pancetta from fry pan and pour off fat. Peel and chop garlic, set aside. Heat olive oil in a small fry pan, add garlic and meat. Stir occasionally until fragrant, about one minute. Add wine or salted water from the cooking pasta and cook until liquid is reduced by about 1/2. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook pasta according to directions in salted water, just until al dente.

The next steps move fast. Ingredients must prepared in the order given.

Pour the cooked pasta in a roomy bowl and add the egg mixture. Toss thoroughly. Coat pasta with the egg mixture. (The heat of the spaghetti cooks the eggs.) Pour bacon or pancetta mixture on top of pasta, toss to combine thoroughly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.